UNDOUBTEDLY the game of the Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League season to date featured Premier Division leaders Mellor – with a 100-per-cent record – and their closest rivals Whalley Range.

In what was a competitive game, Range always had the edge and took a first-half lead with a fine header from Luke Bennion from an excellent cross by Connor Downes.

What proved to be a game-changer before the break was a penalty miss by Dave Whelan for Mellor.

A relieved Range added a second as Tim Kinsella finished with a neat chip to double their lead and although Mellor reduced the arrears it was not enough to see Range take over at the top of the table by a point, although Mellor still have a vital game in hand.

There was another thriller at South Manchester as they hosted reigning champions Rochdalians.

South survived plenty of intensive pressure and took the lead early in the second half with a clinical header from Marc Critchley.

Rochdalians then showed their champion’s qualities as they levelled through Davey Luker then took the lead with a thundering strike from Liam Murray.

But South were not to be denied as they struck in the dying minutes with another great finish from Kane Berkeley for a valuable point.

The other games saw Old Ashtonians continue to climb away from trouble with a 4-3 win in another thriller with High Lane, while Bedians had a welcome 3-2 win at Moston Brook and Abacus Media beat Tintwistle Athletic 3-1.

Three Premier Division teams were in Manchester Challenge Cup action with Newton convincing 3-0 winners against Boothstown.

Old Trafford and Gorse Hill lost to the only goal of their game at Wythenshawe Town and a depleted Parrs Wood Celtic gave a good account of themselves before losing 2-0 to East Manchester.

There was a full programme of league action in Division One and leaders Moorside Rangers maintained their unstoppable momentum with a gritty 3-1 win at Milton.

Milton opened the scoring through Dan Ryan but Rangers hit back with strikes from Kelly and Brown to lead 2-1 at the break.

Victory was completed with a fine shot from the edge of the box by Heard.

Signol Athletic are the only team in touch with Rangers and they were good value for a 6-2 win at Trafford United to stay a point behind.

There was a pleasing 4-0 win for lowly Oldham Vics at Didsbury and also convincing victories for Stoconians, 2-0 at in-form Old Stretfordians, while Bury Ams won 4-2 against Newton Heath.

Division Two leaders Waterloo put some recent indifferent results behind them with an emphatic 7-2 win against Newton and Staly Lions pulled off their best result of the season, walloping Whalley Range seconds 6-2.

Two teams are level on points with Waterloo after Hooley Bridge Celtic ended South Manchester seconds' recent good run with a 4-1 win, while Mellor seconds had to work harder for a win by the odd goal in five at AFC Oldham.

It is also tight at the other end of the table as Moston Brook seconds joined three other teams on six points with a 3-1 win at Spurley Hey.

In Division Three Chorltonians seconds maintained their 100-per-cent record with a resounding 7-0 win against Manchester Polonia led by a four-goal blitz from Aaron Rodger which was backed by singles from Luke Grey, Tom Gannon and Joel Badger.

The win keeps them three points clear of non-playing Salford Vics seconds and Didsbury seconds who won a close encounter with Chadderton Park 2-1.

There were plenty of goals for Newton Heath seconds in a 6-3 win against High Lane seconds and Rochdalians seconds beat Heaton Mersey 5-2.

Cheadle Hulme Athletic kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory over Hooley Bridge Celtic seconds.

Division A leaders Whalley Range thirds were given a titanic tussle at Aldermere before emerging with a 5-4 win with main rivals Hollingworth firmly in touch after a 5-3 win at Signol Athletic seconds.

Club legend Pat Davin netted a neat brace to take Chorltonians Rovers to a 2-1 win at Moston Brook thirds and there were also victories for Tintwistle Athletic seconds, 2-0 against AFC Oldham seconds, Mellor thirds, 4-2 at Bury Ams seconds, and Stoconians seconds, 3-0 against Hargreaves Bury.

Chorltonians Villa were the big game-changers in Division B as they ended the 100-per-cent record of leaders Abacus Media seconds with Ash Brown (three) and Obi Ezeh providing the firepower in a 4-2 win.

Old Trafford and Gorse Hill seconds closed the gap on the leaders to three points with a close 2-1 win against Deans but Tintwistle Athletic thirds lost ground as they went down 3-1 at Old Strets seconds.

Bedians seconds had few problems in accounting for Milton seconds 5-1 but it was much closer for Hillgate at Rochdale Galaxy and Village Manchester against Staly Lions seconds as they both posted 4-3 wins.

In Division C Moorside Rangers seconds kept up their good form – a 5-1 win against AFC Oldham thirds keeps them six points clear as the goals flowed from Collins, Fry, Moran and Saxon.

Spurley Hey seconds moved into second place with a 3-0 win against Didsbury and Oldham Vics seconds are also in the frame with a 3-1 win against Manchester Rovers.

Salford Vics seconds were in hot form in a big 8-0 win against AFC Stockport but was closer in the other two games with Parrs Wood Celtic thirds edging a 2-1 win against Stoconians thirds and Abacus Media thirds shared eight goals with Moston Brook fourths.

Division D leaders Bedians thirds were too hot for Droylsden JFC to handle and they stay seven points clear of Didsbury fourths who won 5-4 at Stoconians fourths.

Chorltonians Athletic made it a good day for their club with Nick Gill (two) and Oliver Gilmartin netting in their 3-1 derby win against Whalley Range fourths.

Chadderton Park seconds were good value for a 6-3 win against Old Strets thirds and AFC Oldham fourths shared six goals with Bury Ams fourths.